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Ham Peggotty
Mr. Wickfield is Miss Betsey's lawyer and friend, who graciously allows David to board with him while attending Doctor Strong's school. He is a widower and consequently dotes on his daughter Agnes, whom he regards as his only reason for living. Mr. Wickfield's grief is heavily implied to have played a role in his alcoholism, which his apprentice (and later partner) Uriah Heep treacherously encourages. Over the course of the novel, Mr. Wickfield mentally deteriorates to such an extent that Uriah is able to convince him that he himself is responsible for the illegal business dealings that Uriah has undertaken. Fortunately, Mr. Micawber is eventually able to clear Mr. Wickfield's name by revealing Uriah's crimes, and Wickfield's life measurably improves as a result: he quits drinking and relinquishes the more obsessive side of his love for Agnes, freeing her to marry David.
Mr. Wickfield Quotes in David Copperfield
The David Copperfield quotes below are all either spoken by Mr. Wickfield or refer to Mr. Wickfield. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 16
Quotes
"Perhaps you'll be a partner in Mr. Wickfield's business, one of these days," I said, to make myself agreeable; "and it will be Wickfield and Heep, or Heep late Wickfield."
"Oh, no, Master Copperfield," returned Uriah, shaking his head, "I am much too umble for that!"
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Chapter 39
Quotes
"Weak indulgence has ruined me. Indulgence in remembrance, and indulgence in forgetfulness. My natural grief for my child's mother turned to disease; my natural love for my child turned to disease. I have infected everything I touched."
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Chapter 54
Quotes
"When I lost the rest, I thought it wise to say nothing about that sum, but to keep it secretly for a rainy day. I wanted to see how you would come out of the trial, Trot; and you came out nobly—persevering, self-reliant, self-denying! So did Dick."
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Mr. Wickfield Quotes in David Copperfield
The David Copperfield quotes below are all either spoken by Mr. Wickfield or refer to Mr. Wickfield. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 16
Quotes
"Perhaps you'll be a partner in Mr. Wickfield's business, one of these days," I said, to make myself agreeable; "and it will be Wickfield and Heep, or Heep late Wickfield."
"Oh, no, Master Copperfield," returned Uriah, shaking his head, "I am much too umble for that!"
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Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 39
Quotes
"Weak indulgence has ruined me. Indulgence in remembrance, and indulgence in forgetfulness. My natural grief for my child's mother turned to disease; my natural love for my child turned to disease. I have infected everything I touched."
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Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 54
Quotes
"When I lost the rest, I thought it wise to say nothing about that sum, but to keep it secretly for a rainy day. I wanted to see how you would come out of the trial, Trot; and you came out nobly—persevering, self-reliant, self-denying! So did Dick."
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